Board of Regents
New law provides 100% tuition coverage for SD National Guard members
Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill into law Thursday that will provide 100% tuition benefits for National Guard members at South Dakota technical colleges and public universities. The increase from 50% to 100% coverage will benefit the Guard by providing another incentive for recruitment and retention, Noem said. Noem, whose father served in the National […]
Senate committee kills ‘lewd or lascivious’ drag show bill
A bill that would ban “lewd or lascivious” content at state institutions and public schools died in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday morning. The bill, introduced by Rep. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, previously passed the House with a 60-10 vote. It was amended in a House committee to allow the South Dakota Board of […]
‘They saw the potential’: SDSU program boosts Native American success
South Dakota State University was the only college that sent recruiters to the reservation during Traelene Fallis’ junior year at Crow Creek Tribal School. So, she only applied to SDSU. “It just felt like they actually wanted me to be here,” Fallis said. “They were doing all these things because they saw the potential in […]
Officials blame inflation for state building projects that are millions over budget
Eight building projects already approved by the Legislature need about $30 million in additional funding due to rising costs, state lawmakers were told Monday at the Capitol in Pierre. State officials told the Joint Committee on Appropriations about the challenges of trying to keep project costs under control amid high inflation. One of the projects […]
Regents creating ‘minors on campus policy’ in response to drag show controversy
The board governing South Dakota’s six public universities is developing a policy about minors on campus in response to complaints about a drag show. The South Dakota Board of Regents voted Wednesday during a Zoom meeting to have its staff immediately begin creating the policy. The board plans to review the policy during its next […]
Mines in Minecraft: Student renders Rapid City university campus in video game
South Dakota Mines computer engineering major Jaxxen Cheney has built a model of the university campus inside the popular video game Minecraft, according to a news release from the university. The game allows users to create worlds inside the platform with sets of digital building blocks. A video of the rendering is here, and an album of […]
Critics berate regents about drag show, and senator pledges to bring legislation
After the leader of the state’s university system announced “process improvements” in response to controversy about a recent drag show, critics denounced the handling of the show and a state senator pledged legislation to address it. The show took place Nov. 16 at South Dakota State University in Brookings. Some commenters on social media praised […]
Head of state universities orders compliance with Noem’s TikTok ban
The executive director of the South Dakota Board of Regents says the state’s higher education system will obey a new TikTok ban on state devices, and state universities will delete the various TikTok accounts they currently operate. Regents Executive Director Brian Maher made the announcement Thursday during a regularly scheduled Board of Regents meeting at […]